Based in Switzerland, the artist has travelled worldwide with his lute, singing the songs of the 6th Dalai Lama, Milarepa, as well as other traditional songs, and his own songs.
Milarepa's lama was Marpa, a.k.a. 'Marpa the Translator,' whose guru (teacher or lama) was Naropa, who's guru was, in turn, Tilopa.
The cave and the Pelgye Ling temple have been the subject of Richard Gere's artistic photo work,
Some fans were receptive to the pamphlets, but others were hostile, and later blamed Yauch's interest in the Milarepa Fund for the late release of the Beastie Boys' fifth album, Hello Nasty.
The film is about the adventurous years of the legendary buddhist mystic, Milarepa (1052-1135), who is one of the most widely known Tibetan Saints, and who initially set out for vengeance and retribution.
It was the location of the spectacular scenery and cinematography in the Indian films Paap and Milarepa, a biographical adventure tale about one of Buddhism's most famous Tibetan saints.